Car Shopping and Visitors
by MichaelCross
Summary: Title says it all. Rated for language and humor.


Car Shopping and Visitors

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers or Full Metal Panic! Wish I did, though.

Author's Notes: This story takes place after 'Flights to Japan and Back to Home' following Chapter 6 of 'Honeymoon'. Mei and Tony have moved out of the Lennox house after the events in Tokyo and are starting to get their lives in order. Their first step after finding their own home is buying a vehicle. You won't believe what they do to find the perfect vehicles. And elimination process, as well. Along with the visit they get from the families of the fallen Pounder Group. You better get ready!

As she looks around their dream home the next day after moving in and christening the rooms, Mei Reynolds can't help blush at the thought of doing more christening. She then sighs happily as her husband, Tony, wraps her in his arms from behind and begins massaging her breasts.

"So what do you think, Mei?"

"It's a dream come true, Tony." Hearing him grunt, she asks, "Something wrong, honey?"

"Yeah. How're we going to run errands like grocery shopping? Some places are kinda out of walking distance."

"Agreed. We need to find suitable transportation."

"Well, I saw a dealership when we pulled into Tranquility with Captain Lennox and Ironhide. It looked like it had high quality cars and trucks, at least."

"Is it within walking distance?"

"Yep. That it is."

"Then we shall go there. Now." Without any further word, Mei grabs Tony's hand and starts tugging him out the door. He's so stunned, he barely has time to grab the house keys and lock the door.

Fifteen minutes later, they're both looking up at the dealership's sign. 'Bobby B's Cars'.

"Hi, folks." The young couple turns around at the voice and sees a slightly rotund African-American man wearing a smile and a loud Hawaiian shirt. "Bobby Bolivia's the name. Just like the country, only without the runs."

"My sister and I worked in Bolivia once. We didn't stay for very long to see these runs you speak of. Perhaps my husband and I will go there someday to see if we can find these runs."

"Um, Mei. He means something entirely different." When she gives Tony a perplexed look, he informs her through whispering into her ear. When he's done, she has a disgusted look on her face. "That's the way I feel too, honey."

Bobby B can't help but feel nervous as he looks into the young woman's blood red eyes. Clearing his throat, he goes on. "Just got a fresh stock in. You two can look to your heart's content while I see if there's any paperwork for me to deal with."

"Yes. You should do that. We will let you know, Mr Bolivia." As Bobby B walks away, Mei maintains a cold glare at his back until he bolts away and toward the office. "He needs to see someone about his 'runs' problem."

"Yeah. I guess so." With that, the two start looking, not seeing a familiar black-and-white Saleen Mustang Police car sitting just around the corner. When Tony sees a red and white coupe, he smiles and remarks, "This looks like a fun one."

Her curiosity peaked, Mei goes to her husband's side and slightly nods. "It'll be difficult to put the childrens' seat into place, but it could be workable." She then goes to get a closer look and notices a familiar-looking icon on the prow of the car. A purple, sinister-looking face. Getting Tony's attention, she softly says, "The car's a Decepti-craphead, Tony." Next thing the couple knows, they hear Bobby B's voice.

"Ah, you picked a lovely model, ma'am. We just got that one in. Clean record. Practically bulletproof." For some reason, Bobby B can't help but regret those exact words. For he sees a frighteningly sinister gleam enter the young woman's eyes.

"Practically bulletproof, you say?" Stepping back from the car, Mei draws her 9mm Baby Eagle from behind her back, attaches a silencer to it, aims at the car and fires twice into the front of the car.

At the Police car, the Officer inside can only stare in shock and horror as he shakes his head. Not for the young woman's behavior. But because of what she just did to one of those he'd consider his friend.

'**Barricade, ****do ****you read me?'**

**'****I read yo****u, Swindle. What's your status?'**

**'****Didn't you just see? The ****female ****fleshling shot me!**** All because of what that massive ****male ****fleshling told her!****'**

** '****What did he tell her? I**** was too far away to intercede.'**

** '****He told her I was practically bulletproof!**** Even more, she called me a Decepti-craphead! She knows about us!****'**

** '****Relax, Swindle. You're in no danger from damage due to this planet's ****primitive and ****portable weapon systems.**** As for her knowing about us, I'll have to tell it to you as to how and why.'**

** '****That may be true, but still. The crazy fleshling shot me!****'** After a minute, Swindle adds, '**Barricade, if I'm bought by the fleshling, you may want to be ready to contact Ratchet.**** And you will be telling me why she shot me!'**

**'****Why an Autobot? I'm sure there's a Decepticon M****edical Officer on Earth by now.'**

**'****But what if there isn't? Besides, Ratchet's the only Autobot that I'll trust with treating me. So please be ready**** to contact him if she buys me!'**

** '****I will. Don't worry, Swindle. I'm sure you'll survive if she does.****'**

Meanwhile, back on the lot, Bobby B's getting his wits together as the lithe former assassin kneels down to inspect for damage. While down on the ground, she notices the two 9mm hollow-point slugs lying on the ground. Fully-flattened. She then looks at the prow while putting her hands down onto the ground to pick up the slugs.

'Not even so much as a nick. Damn! It's too bad they don't make high-heat sabot rounds in 9mm.' Shrugging, she gets up from her knees, reholsters the silenced Baby Eagle, pockets the flattened slugs and flatly says, "I'll think about this one."

Bobby B can only nod. Just as Mei spots a purple and grey pickup truck in a low-rider fashion. Along with the same thing as was on the other car. Only it's lower portion is painted right on the hood. Tony sees it as well and nods at his wife before turning back toward Bobby.

"Mr Bolivia, is this pickup practically bulletproof as well?" When Bobby B can only shrug, Tony pulls his 9mm Beretta 92FS from a shoulder holster under his jacket, attaches a silencer, aims at the pickup and fires twice into the engine compartment as well.

Back at Barricade, the Decepticon Police cruiser can't believe what his sensors are sensing. **'It seems Tony Reynolds**** is equally detrimental to the health of Decep****ticons. It's not just Mei Reynolds****.'**

**'Barricade, you out there?'**

** '****I'm here, Dropkick. Status?****'**

**'****What do you think, fool? The same thing that happ****ened to Swindle**** just**** happened to me!'**

** '****So I see. Shall I have Ratchet's frequency ****available should you be bought?'**

**'****Well, that'll work too. But, could you find out if my Cybertronian Life Insurance policy's up to date? I think it may have lapsed in the last couple eons prior to my arrival. Cause if I'm bought, my spark's as good as extinguished!****'**

**'****Yes. I'll check for you. Who should be your beneficiary should it be active and you cease functioning?****'**

**'Thunderblast.'**

**'****Noted. But, as I told Swindle, there's no way the portable weapons systems will have ****any detrimental effects on you.'**

** '****Okay. If you say so.****'**

Back at the lot, Bobby B's eyes are starting to drip tears of pain as Tony kneels down to examine the truck's hood and sees the flattened slugs. 'Dammit! Not even a frickin' nick! Next time I see him, I'm asking Captain Lennox about the possibility of 9mm high-heat sabot rounds!'

Getting back up from the pickup after picking up the flattened slugs and reholstering the Beretta, he says, "I'll consider this one. Let's look on, honey." Suddenly, Mei's excited voice gets his attention.

"Oh, Tony, look!" As he looks, he can see a light blue Subaru Baja. And she's pulling him right toward it. "Doesn't it look beautiful?" Opening the door, she looks around and sees a familiar red face on the steering wheel, causing her to smile. "I think I found our grocery vehicle! And, it seems to be just my size!" Pumping his fist in enthusiasm, he gives his vote.

"Hey, all right!"

All three Decepticons can only think, **'WTF?'**

Bobby B can only sigh in relief as no gunshots had sounded that time. Then Tony sees a red 90s model Trans Am with a familiar red face and flames on the hood.

"Found our date car, honey!"

"Sweet!"

All three Decepticons can still only think, **'WTF?****'**

Now smiling happily, Bobby B walks over to the young couple as they stand by the cars and nods at their choices before frowning. "Why'd you two shoot the others and not these two?"

Mei flatly replies, "You didn't claim bullet-proofing. It would have been idiotic to waste good ammunition on a vehicle when you don't know if it'll be bullet-proof or not."

"Well, he wasted a pair of bullets."

"Actually, your shrug told me it might be, but you weren't really sure. Besides, it was worth it." Mei nods in agreement with her husband while Bobby B considers it.

Shrugging it off, he then asks, "Ready to deal?" As they both nod, he says, "Step on into my office and we'll negotiate." With that, the rotund man herds the young couple into the two story building. Once inside, he brings out the paperwork and asks, "First cars for the couple?"

"Yes."

"I see. Names?" Tony gives Mei a smile and nod.

"Tony and Mei Reynolds."

Thirty minutes later, Tony and Mei come back out, smiling happily as they return to the vehicles they'd chosen and smirk wickedly at the ones they'd shot. She then sees Barricade and smiles evilly at the Decepticon. While they'd worked together against Amalgam and set the organization's research into Cybertronian technology and their plans back significantly, the Decepticon was still hostile toward the human race. Somewhat.

As they leave the lot, Mei takes the lead and both drive toward Barricade. Stopping the Baja in front of him, she doesn't even look at him as she starts talking to him.

"Your friends should consider themselves fortunate that high-heat sabot rounds don't come in 9mm. Yet. If any other Decepti-crapheads come here, intent on making trouble, you can bet we'll fight with all we have available to us. Even if we have to improvise. Even more, without the Allspark, there's no point in waging even more warfare. So, you got two choices. Live in peace and leave humanity out of your intergalactic grudge matches. Or just do everyone a favor and off-line yourselves. That applies to you and your fellow Decepticons only."

The only reply she gets is an angry-sounding engine roar. "I knew you'd see it my way. Have a pleasant drive, Barricade." As she pulls the Baja away from the front of the Decepticon Police car, she pats the steering wheel and says, "Welcome to Earth. I'm Mei. You are?" The voice she hears replying is gruff, yet gentle.

**"I'm Kup. It's nice to meet you, Mei."** Picking up his companion behind him, Kup can only groan out, **"Aww, not that turbo-revving young punk again!"**

"He have a name?"

**"Yeah. Hot Rod."** Much to his surprise, Mei starts giggling. **"Mei?"**

"It's a fitting name for him, Kup."

**"Yeah. Plus he's got a motto that he l****ives by. 'If you're going to ride, ride**** in style'. Be it charging toward the enemy or having a good time. Which he does a good job of doing both. Often at the same time."**

"Sounds like one of my new colleagues. One from my previous life as an enemy of his."

**"What happened, Mei?"**

As she drives Kup along, she tells the Autobot about her past life as an assassin contracted to kill for Amalgam, but was really against it. She goes on to add her younger twin sister was an assassin as well and had died at Amalgam's hands. When she gets to when she got her second chance at life, she smiles in joy. Before Kup chimes in.

**"****You remind**** me of the time we came across a triple-changer just outside the Triton system. You could never tell what side he'd be on. First, he'd slag some Autobots, then, he'd slag some ****Decepticons. He'd repeat the process over and over again.**** Constantly go back and forth between sides.****"**

"How'd you survive such an onslaught?"

**"I'm still trying to remember. There were an awful lot of casualties at the end of the battle."**

"I see. And the triple-changer?"

**"He wound up getting slagged by Megatron when the poor guy**** took a pot-shot and missed his processors on Cybertron."**

"Makes me think he had a death wish of sorts."

**"He could very well have. The poor guy looked like he was confused and in despair over his indecisiveness. If he'd been able to choose, I'd have enjoyed fighting alongside him. He may have had a confused spark, but he had a spark nonetheless."**

"Yeah. I guess we all have our own sparks, in a way." She then wraps up by telling Kup about the truth she'd discovered about the man she regarded with pride as her teacher.

**"Why that no good rotten… if he was here right now, would you slag him?**** And I mean right in front of you.****"**

"In a heartbeat, Kup. In a heartbeat. I'd slag that clone of his so many times, they wouldn't be able to bring him back to life. As they wouldn't find any trace of that mother-fucking psycho."

Elsewhere in the world, Gauron sneezes. Repeatedly. 'Someone must be upset with me. Might be Yu Fan. I never should have said what I did. But, hey, I'm ambitious. Is that so wrong?' Looking up at the figure in the cloning tube, he smiles at the form it's taking on. 'Very nice. You're growing nicely.'

Meanwhile, Tony and Hot Rod are engaging in talk that guys can understand as well as women can at times. Cars. "So, why a 90's model Trans Am, Hot Rod?"

**"Why not? If you're gonna ride, Tony, ride**** in style."**

"Style never really stuck with me. Besides, life in the Army doesn't really allow you to have vanity or flashy looks when it comes to battle." Giving a smirk, he adds, "Here's the way I see it. If I hadn't gotten myself into trouble, I wouldn't have decided to redeem myself by joining the Army. If I hadn't joined the Army, I might not have met my wife."

**"It's too bad**** she's not riding with us right now. I imagine by now Kup's telling her his old war stories and driving her crazy."**

"So what's Kup like, anyway?"

**"Kup's a veteran of so many battles, I can't begin to tell you how many sparks he'd managed to save or lost."**

"Well, let's just hope he doesn't lose any sparks anymore. I don't think he'd like that very much."

When the couple gets back home, they see their new neighbors waiting to greet them with a 'Welcome to the Neighborhood' party.

"Just what we don't need. I want to stay low profile, not be a social creature."

**"Mei, being low profile may be good, but socializing will help you come out of your shell. You don't have to be a debutante to try having a good time. Soak a little at first and gradually acclimate."**

"More old time experience, Kup?"

**"You betcha."**

"Very well. I'll try 'soaking' at first. But, just so you know, I don't do well with crowds. Except if I'm killing them and they happen to be Amalgam or third-rate third-world leaders."

**"Well, just remember, you're in a peaceful society now. You don't have anything to fear but, well, what do you fear?"**

"I don't fear very much. The most recent fear I felt was when Scorponok was chasing the Chodarl I was piloting while trying to get Tony to safety. And then the Chodarl started overheating."

**"And you were going to kill Tony but didn't."**

"Yeah. The first time I intended to kill him, I only held him. If only because I liked how he felt in my arms."

**"Ah, you remind me of this one femme Autobot named Arcee. She and Hot Rod had a thing going before the war. If her spark's still going or not, I don't know."**

"I see. I'll dialogue with you later about your old battles, Kup. They sound fairly interesting."

**"I look forward to hearing more about your time as an assassin, Mei."**

She can only smile as she opens Kup's door and steps out, only to be beset by a swarm of people, with a blond-haired little girl in front with a bunch of flowers.

"Welcome to the neighborhood!" The united yell has Mei flustered until she recovers and takes a deep breath before smiling and introduces herself.

"Hello. I'm Mei Reynolds. My husband and I just got back from getting our cars. It's nice to be welcomed into the neighborhood, but I'm terribly shy. So it'll take some time until I fully acclimate, so please bear with me."

Nodding, the little girl replies, "Okay, Mrs Reynolds." Handing her the flowers, she goes on, "I'm Amanda Darcy. These are my parents. John and Grace Darcy."

Meanwhile, as Tony steps out of Hot Rod, his cell phone rings. Bringing it out, he grumbles upon seeing who the caller is. Accepting the call, he says, "Hello." After three minutes of talking on the phone, he hangs up and sighs.

"It had to happen sooner or later."

**"What had to happen sooner or later?"** As Tony tells him, Hot Rod can only process the information in shock. Recovering, he asks, **"How do you think she'll take it?"**

"Probably not very well. You can see her right now. She's feeling vulnerable from the way she's sweating. Even more, she'd just been hurt in the worst possible way. When she's inside an AS, in a combat situation not involving big-ass scorpions, she's cool as a cucumber. With what's happened before now, what's happening right now, and what's to come, she could fall apart at the seams." Making his decision, he adds, "I'm going to her side right now. We'll discuss this later."

When he gets over there, he sees his wife's indeed sweating nervously and calls out to her. "Mei! I'm coming, honey!"

"Tony! Help!"

"Mei!" When he finally gets to her side, he holds her close and asks, "You okay, baby?"

"I'm fine now that you're here, my love." Giving him a soft tug, she says, "Let's go inside. This crowd's starting to get to me."

"Yeah, sure." Turning to the throng of people, he says, "Sorry, folks, but my wife's shyness is starting to overcome her. If you want to socialize, we can only do it gradually. One set of neighbors or family at a time, please. I'll leave the scheduling up to you and we'll try to make time for you. Thank you for your hospitality and warm welcome."

Once he gets her inside, he looks his wife over as he closes the door. "Mei, you okay, honey?"

Starting to calm down now, Mei nods as she replies, "I'm fine now, Tony. Thank you, sweetie." Looking into his face, she notices a glum expression on his face. A very familiar expression at that. "Will I have to inform Lieutenant Sagara you're doing a 'Sagara', honey?"

"Why you little…" Reaching his hands for her midsection, he starts tickling her, saying, "You're the one breaking into a nervous sweat earlier! If anything, you're doing a 'Sagara' as well!"

As Mei giggles from the tickling assault, she feels Tony's lips pressing against hers and returns serve. All while giggling still until the giggles become filled with happy bliss. As the bliss-filled giggles fade away, the couple has a seat before starting to passionately make out. After making out for fifteen minutes, a smirking Mei has a grinning Tony in her arms beside her before his grin changes into a frown.

"Tony?"

"I just got word from my folks in Arizona. They read about our nuptials in the paper, courtesy of Mithril's Information Bureau, I guess."

"I see. And?"

"They want to meet you."

"When?"

"When you're ready. Dad says when you're ready, that'll be the best time for a visit."

"When does he think I'll be ready? I don't think I'll be ready for three months at least."

"He'd like to meet you next month. He figures that'll be enough time for you to get over your shyness." Grunting slightly, he adds, "Melissa and Alyssa, my elder sisters, they were thrilled for me and angry at the same time."

"What are they like?"

"Well, I'll put it to you like this. Any time Alyssa would see me, she'd give me bear hug that would damn near bust my ribs. Melissa, her hugs are soft, yet warm. Just wrap arms around and a series of soft pats on the back. Mother, well, she's one of those addicted to soap operas. She thinks me getting married without her okay is either a good thing or a bad thing."

"She sounds like the triple-changer Kup was talking about. Very indecisive."

"Yeah." Giving her a slight nuzzle, he adds, "We'll have to think of something to tell them. After all, I don't think they'll quite believe you to be an assassin-turned-mercenary for the forces of good."

Mei can't help but giggle as she nuzzles him back. "I guess we'll have to improvise, then."

"Yeah. I guess so." Gazing into her blood red eyes, he asks, "How'd we get to be so lucky, Mei?"

"If I could tell you for certain, I would. Perhaps we were meant to meet in Afghanistan and fall in love." Gently taking his right hand and putting it onto her still-slender belly, she adds, "Conceive our first children over there." She can't help but coo happily as he gently rubs it.

"Hmm, I can't but wonder if it was the first time or second time our kids were conceived."

"Maybe the technology will be that advanced someday. But, for now, I'm happy knowing I have the chance to bring two new lives into the world after ending so many. It's part of my penance after all."

"Here's the way I see it. The people you killed, most of them were bad, right?" At her nod, he goes on. "How many innocents did you kill?"

"I think we killed about twelve or fifteen innocents. Including potentially friendly forces under Mithril employ. Yu Lan didn't enjoy killing the men in the tunnel. She told me, while we were in the shower together, she'd jabbed her knife against the underside of her chin because she remembered the smile of reassurance one soldier had given her before she slit his throat from behind."

"She was feeling pretty lousy, huh?"

"Yes. Even more, she'd always wondered why Gauron had hated Mithril so much. As had I."

"With that loon, it's hard to say."

"It could very well be. Gauron had always been enigmatic at times. You could never tell what he had in mind for us."

"Now that you're here, what do you think?" Mei gives him a soft peck as she cuddles into him closer.

"I think I'd like to be happy just to have the chance to have happiness once again. I can work from there."

"Yeah." As he looks out toward the driveway, he sees the two Autobots sitting in the driveway, in their vehicle modes, and smirks softly. "It's too bad those Decepti-crapheads stood up to our 9mm rounds, honey. It would have been fun shooting holes into them in a field."

"Yeah. If only high-heat sabot rounds were in 9mm, then we could see how much damage Decepti-crapheads can suffer." Looking out toward the back yard, she smiles upon seeing the in-ground swimming pool. With the pool being surrounded by a tall privacy fence. "You know, there's one place I'd like to 'christen' as well."

"Oh?" At Mei's giggle, he feels himself being tugged toward the pool. Giving his wife a lecherous grin upon seeing their destination, he kisses her and says, "Let the 'christening' begin, my love." Before they can get any further, two diesel engines pull up and stop outside. "Now what?"

"Good question." Mei follows Tony over to the picture window and the couple can see two Greyhound buses right outside. "Strange." When the doors on the buses open, Mei starts sweating. "Tony, we need to tell them this is not a stop for Greyhound."

Upon seeing SECDEF Keller, Tony comments, "I don't think they're here to drop off, honey. Secretary Keller's with them." Upon seeing a familiar face, he sighs sadly. "David's Mom." While he watches the group of families walk toward the front door, Tony thinks, 'It's been a wonderful life.'

Answering the door, he's surprised to see Maureen Reilly's mouth hang open in shock. "Hi, Mrs Reilly."

"Tony? You mean, you're the one that survived?"

"Yes, ma'am. I am." His eyes beginning to tear up, he says, "Mrs Reilly, I want you to know how bad I feel about not being able to protect David."

"Tony." Mrs Reilly gently strokes his cheek, saying, "David enjoyed training with you. He'd have hated feeling like he let you down if you'd died. So don't feel bad anymore."

"But, I did let him down." Mrs Reilly wraps him in her arms and gently strokes the back of his head.

"Tony, listen to me and listen good. Your rounds were ineffective against that freak. There was nothing you could have done with your weapon. I'm just glad there was someone of the group that survived. Someone needed to bring David's body back for burial. I'm just glad it was you." Looking over at Mei, she smiles and asks, "You're his wife, right?"

"I am. I'm Mei, Mrs Reilly."

"You've got a good man here, Mei. Don't let him escape from you."

Before Mei can tell her she doesn't intend to, she leaves and another couple comes up. Wishing him and his wife well. Even complimenting her on her beauty and telling him to treat her right. The line dwindles down with the same results until the last family. For they're scowling in disappointment and anger upon seeing Tony's face.

"So, the one that was 'Most Likely to Die First' survived while our boy died. How can you sleep at night?" Wanting to appease the man, Tony holds up his hands in a conciliatory fashion.

"Mr Gordon, I'm sorry about Robert."

"Save it, Reynolds. Far as I'm concerned, you should have died out there." Mr Gordon nods in agreement with his wife as she looks over Mei intently. "Even more, you had the gall to get married when my Robert was buried. To a foreigner, no less. Disgraceful. She's far too skinny, so she can't bear children. That's a good sign." Mrs Gordon's words anger Tony immensely and he shows it.

"Hold it right there, you stuck-up, bigoted bitch. Mei's a wonderful young woman and I love her. Even more, she's the one that saved my life in the desert. And we are expecting children, brain donor bitch." Aghast at Tony's rudeness and snorting in disbelief, Mr Gordon looks Mei over.

"Funny, from what we could see, she needed saving as well. And she's far too slim. I'd say she'll miscarry."

"Mr and Mrs Gordon, I strongly suggest you walk away right now." Turning at Mei's voice, they can see she has her still-silenced Baby Eagle out. "I may have needed to be saved, but that does not make me weak. My slender build has nothing to do with my child-bearing capability. Nor are our children in any danger of dying in my womb." Giving Tony a fond nod, she adds, "Tony's partly right. He also forgot you, Mr Gordon. You're both bigoted brain donors. You the bastard, she the bitch."

"Well, I never!" Indignantly, at Mrs Gordon's urging, they walk away.

"Hmm, one family out of nineteen that hates our guts. Not too bad." Keller gives Tony a wry chuckle before turning toward him.

"That's nothing, son. You should heard them during the whole trip here. They were talking about suing you for wrongful death under combat conditions even though Pounder Group was overmatched by Scorponok. Now, they wish you were dead." Looking at Mei, he adds, "I trust you're feeling well, Mei."

"I am, sir. What that bastard had done to me stings still, but I intend to sting him right back. Lethally when I find him."

"Good." Keller checks his watch and grins, saying, "Like to stay a bit longer, but I've got to get these people back to their homes. Tony, your discharge has been approved. Honorable discharge, with a Silver Star." Tony's confused look has the man chuckling as he adds, "More to annoy the Gordons than anything else."

"I didn't do anything heroic, sir."

"That's not the way I see it. When you retrieved the footage from Amalgam, you did a brave thing and kept your senses going. Even with the adrenaline pumping and your anger spiked."

"Mr Keller's correct, Tony. If you hadn't used your rage to your advantage or if you'd died in Afghanistan, these families would never have learned the truth." Giving him a soft caress, she whispers, "And I'd most likely be on Mithril's Death Row for my crimes. And you know how long those cases last."

"Yeah. Not very long." Deciding to change to a lighter topic, Tony says, "You know, the Gordons remind me of Gauron in a way."

"Are they terrorists as well, honey? We could hurt them." Mei's question and comment both have Tony chuckling softly as he pecks his wife.

"No, but I wouldn't put it past them. You see, they all have something in common. A kind face." At their perplexed looks, he adds, "The kind you'd like to forget. I know I'd like to."

Mei's reaction to the punch-line slowly happens. Her lips start quivering and her body begins shaking before she erupts into laughter. With Keller right behind her. As he laughs, Keller gives them a fond wave as he goes back to the buses. Getting onto the one with the Gordons on it.

As the chartered buses pull away, Mr Gordon hears Keller chortling quietly and demands to know what's so funny. The response?

"Let's just say you're very lucky you and your wife aren't terrorists. Because she would have killed you while laughing."

"Why do you say that, Mr Keller?" Keller turns to face Mrs Gordon and smiles meanly.

"Because you both reminded PFC Reynolds of a terrorist. He said all three of you have a kind face. The kind he'd like to forget. I know I'd like to." Scowling, he adds, "What you said about Mei was completely out of line."

In another part of the world, Gauron is overseeing the 'birth' of the clone. The clone's form had grown well and retained much of the original's appearance prior to death. As the 'birthing' happens, Dr Walkerson turns to the man and smiles.

"Congratulations, Mr Silver, sir. It's a…"

"Clone, Dr Walkerson. How soon to get it field ready and mobile?"

"About a month, something like that, Mr Silver."

"Excellent." Smiling, he adds, "Absolutely remarkable. The resemblance is far too uncanny. The sibling is in for one Hell of a shock." Pondering even more, he muses, "We need to ensure it doesn't fail inadvertently."

"Well, we could always infuse the bloodstream with nanites with toxic materials in them. Detonable on command or at death. Will that work, Mr Silver?"

"Nah. Too unrealistic. No, I've got something else in mind. How proficient are you with liquid explosives?"

"Binary compounds? Never dabbled before, but that doesn't mean I can't try my hand at it, Mr Silver."

"Good. Once you've got it worked out, I want the charge implanted in the back, just behind the heart and beside the spine. I want it so powerful, it can take out a building."

"Very well, Mr Silver, sir." Looking back toward the clone as it's being dressed after being dried off, he asks, "Are you sure you don't want to give the clone a personality? It'll help in the mission you have in mind greatly, Mr Silver."

"It doesn't need a personality. It's just a clone. Completely expendable." Cocking his gun after bringing it out, he adds, "Any more talk like that and you will die, Dr Walkerson."

"Understood, Mr Silver, sir." Walkerson sighs in defeat as Gauron walks away after putting his weapon back into the holster. Shaking his head, he mutters, sotto voice, "Pyscho."

Back at the home of Mei and Tony Reynolds, Mei decides she feels brave enough to try meeting their new neighbors. So, they exit the house and go next door. However, Mei can't help a shudder from within. Not because of fear, but from sensing something off.

Putting it out of her mind, she chalks it down to pre-meeting nerves. Just as they reach the door and ring the doorbell. Mr Darcy opens the door and smiles, inviting them in. Mei gets to know the Darcys and finds herself enjoying the experience.

The rest of the Reynolds' day is spent going door to door, with Mei getting more comfortable with each meeting. When they're done, they go home and 'christen' the swimming pool.

Author's Notes: Story was a little weak, but I felt I'd done enough. Check out 'Meet the Folks' please.


End file.
